The Future of Nursing is You! Find out how to develop the knowledge, skills, processes, and understanding needed to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. The demand for CNA's is enormous, you'll find work anywhere you choose to live. Jump start your CNA training now. Find Free CNA classes.

After CNA Training – Top 5 Duties of a Certified Nursing Assistant

Your Career After CNA Training

After completing CNA training, you’ll be well on your way to a rewarding career as a professional certified nursing assistant. CNA’s are responsible for delivering the highest level of care to the patients they serve. Often, CNA’s are thought of as the lowest level on the nursing ladder, but quite the opposite is true. Although CNA training is faster to complete than nursing school to become an RNA or LPN, CNA duties are vital to the nursing and medical team. Take a look at the top five duties of an aide who has successfully completed CNA training.

After CNA Training – Top Duties of Certified Nursing Assistants

Bathing, assisting with toileting and dressing patients – CNA training graduates are either responsible to assist their patients complete their basic needs, such as grooming and toileting, or they will completely do these tasks for them if the patient is not capable. Patients in need of assistance may include elderly or disabled nursing home residents, stroke victims, individuals recovering from surgery, an accident or injuries. The care may take place in a home environment or a medical facility. CNA training classes prepare the student for both.

Taking patient vital signs – From blood pressure to temperature, many CNA training graduates are responsible for taking and recording basic vital signs. Vitals are generally taken upon intake in a hospital setting, during a routine office visit, or hourly if a patient is recovering in a hospital setting. This is a big responsibility, since the nursing assistant is often the first face or representative of the clinic or hospital that is seen.

Feeding, making beds and tidying rooms – Another part of meeting a patient’s basic daily needs includes feeding and keeping rooms clean. This can involve everything from documenting a patient’s amount of food and fluid intake to emptying bed pans, feeding the patient, and changing soiled sheets. Proper procedure for these duties was taught during CNA training, but do you know what else is involved here? One-on-one conversations with patients, compassion, listening, and offering kind words. These compassionate relationships can help patients to make it through illness and recovery periods with dignity.

Assisting with medical procedures – In some circumstances, the CNA training graduate will be responsible for storing and setting up medical equipment, laying out medical tools for examination or procedure purposes, or perhaps moving equipment from one exam room to another. Depending on the state you will be working in, your CNA training may have included assisting and performing medical procedure, such as blood draws.

Answering patient calls and charting changes in behavior or condition – The CNA training graduate is generally the first one to notice changes in a patient condition. This may involve reactions to medication, loss of appetite, disorientation or other vital information. As a valuable team member, the CNA training graduate will be expected to determine whether information is appropriate for charting or relayed immediately to an RN or other medical staff member.

CNA Training Graduates

As you can see, after CNA training is complete, the nursing assistant is one of the most valuable and necessary part of the medical team. Is this a career you are interested in? Follow our blog to find out more about CNA training and making the decision to pursue a medical career.